San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-23

days work? No, she was not going to
rouse herself; she was going To sleep.
| All, she remembered nowl How could
| the man have been such a fool as TO
venture into the river when his head
was made Of lead and weighed tons
and tonsp
Then a shout family reached her
ears.
"Miriama, be bravel am coming
am close to you! Courage-couragep
Then the horrible weight was taken
from her breast and she sank down to
delicious rest.
When she recovered consciousness,
she was in her own hammock, with Ko-
turua bending over her, laughing and
sobbing in breath.
"Oh my child" she cried, seeing the
hazel eyes open, how blest am to
have you given back to me from the
gravel How could you risk your life
SOP You know you are the light of
these poor old eyes. | shudder when l
think of tall was nearly overl"
Dear Koturua, thought of you in
the midst of my agony, and made an
other effort. But the MANS he liv-
ingg'
Oh, my brave, brave grill"
The next morning Miriama rose from
her couch very little the worse for her
narrow escape; she suffered only from
stiffness and pain in the muscles.
"My brave sister, / am proud of you'll"
said Hori, as she stepped outside of her
very few men-could have done what
you did"
Don't make me vain, Hori. You
did it-nOt l. Where ia he-the stran-
gerp Is he wellp
Quite well this morning. He has
asked If you will see him alone; he is
in that tchdre"
So Miriama opened the door and
went in. AT first she could see moth
ing; but presently, her eyes becoming
accustomed to the gloom, she saw their
visitor sitting in the corner, with his
head bent upon his knees, i'm an atti-
tude of the greatest detection. The
ready sympathy started to life in her
heart at once. He was sad then, this
poor fellow; she must try to comfort
him.
"You wished to see Miriama. She is
here" she begun timidly.
The man shivered, but did not look
"You seem sorrowful," she contin-
ued; "tell me your trouble, and perhaps
or my brother can help you"
"Yes, you can help me-you alone in
the world" he answered, rising slowly
to his feet and standing before her.
"Te Drill" she cried, staggering back
against the wall for support, while she
looked at him with joy and pain in her
eyes.
How good it was to see him again!
How her heart went out to him in one
great glad throbl But she must not
forget that he was now the husband of
another woman. All, why had he come
to disturb the peace she had struggled
so hard to gainp
"Yes, TIE ORR" he returned, with
bent head; "and, oh, Miriama, he is
ashamed to look you in the face! He
has lOnged for this meeting-prayed
for it, dreamt of it; yet, now he is here,
he cannot speak; he is frightened, and
trembling like woman"
IL am glad to see you, TIE ORR" and
she moved to his side and took his
hand, for the sight of his agitation had
Gained hers. Had L known whose
head lay upon my breast yesterday,
more strength would have been in my
arms, more courage in my heart. What
made you try to swim across during a
fresh? The Moraitai is always dan
gerous then"
y was coming to you, Miriama, COM
ing to you-poor, friendless, miserable,
Notwithstanding to you to ask
you to forgive me, dog though am,
and to take me back to your heart
again, and try to love me once more"
Hush! You must not talk 50. There
are others now whom you must love
and CHERISH" and she turned slightly
from him.
"Miriama," he cried, dropping upon
his knees at her feet, while the big,
slow tears Of strong mans pain
chased each other down his cheeks, Il
am suffering sol Don't-dOn't say you
have learnt to look at me with indiffer-
ence. If you want revenge, be assured
you have had it. l have had nothing
but misery since | came home that day
and found you gone. All, never knew
how loved you till thenl L entered
my ,chdre, and the first thing l saw was
the jewel my father had given you. L
knew what it meant-that you gave up
all claim to me from that time. think
went madl L ragged and stormed at
the men for letting you go. When the
messengers came back with Hori's an
swer! told them would take you by
MAJ whose slightest words had ever
been obeyed so promptly-when one Of
the elders of the tribe, in the name Of
the rest, told me they would not move
one step to compel you to come back
against your will. You were not a
slave, they said, to be forced to stand
by and see another to take your place;
you had done well to go to your broth
er. This was said by the very man
who had so strongly advised the step |
had taken. After that, L went about
sullen, idle, and miserable. The woman
l had married cared for nothing but
eating and sleeping, and grew to de-
test the sight of her stupid fat face,
while yours was ever before me, mock
ing me by its intelligent beauty. All
our prosperity vanished. The men
laughed at my orders and disObeyed
them; the women grew too lazy to cook
our food. Then horrible illness broke
out amongst us, and many died.
Wherever l went, scowls met me, while
the men would ask with a sheer,
Where is she who could have healed
us, with her great knowledge of roots
and leayesp Where is Miriama, the
flower of the tribe?"
Poor boy, poor TIE Ori!" cried his
wife, with the tears rolling down her
cheeks. Don't tell me any more. How
dared they treat you SOP
Il deserved it all-and more. felt
that all the time; and l think that was
why so completely lost command over
them. But let me tell you all. After
time too fell ill, and for many long
DAVIS I thOupht I was diving. and oh